HORACE AS A POET.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In the Spectator of June 23rd, which arrived by last mail, there is some interesting correspondence with regard to the assertion that " Horace, as a poet, may be regarded as untranslatable." Boswell says that on May 16th, 1778, he dined with Dr. Johnson at Mr. Beauclerk's. The con- versation turned upon literature, as it generally did in that set. Dr. Johnson said " the lyrical part of Horace never can be perfectly translated ; so much of the excellence is in the numbers and the expression. Francis has done it the best," &c. So the assertion is not so extraordinary as it appears to some of your correspondents.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Civil Service Club, Cape Town. H. C. SLOLEY.
[We had brought this correspondence to a close, but we must make an exception in favour of this letter from a great distance.—En. Spectator.]
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